Building community by giving back

Serosun Farms partners with The Conservation Foundation on the No Child Left Inside movement where they educate children about the outdoors, gardening and conservation.

Serosun Farms partners with The Conservation Foundation on the No Child Left Inside movement where they educate children about the outdoors, gardening and conservation.

(Courtesy of Serosun Fams)

While constructing custom homes has left a fingerprint in many area communities, one family of builders wanted to do more to give back.

In 2002, John Hall Builders participated in building an Ultimate Playhouse to raise money for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Several years later they were asked to resurrect the project to support Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation.

“They all came to my office, asked and I, of course, said yes knowing that my family would back me up,” says John Hall Jr. co-owner of John Hall Custom Homes in St. Charles of his brother, Joshua Hall, and sister, Jessica Jungmann.

“We were all taught by my father John Hall Sr., and my mom, Patricia Hall, to always do what was right no matter what the consequence, and to always help those in need when you can. This is something Josh, Jess and our spouses instill in our children too,” John Hall Jr. says.

The family teams up to design and build the Ultimate Playhouse with the help of others. Hall says each playhouse is donated from trade partners, their employees, suppliers and other small and large companies.

“It is really time, and the value of our time that we personally donate,” Hall says.

The Ultimate Playhouse is just that. It includes features such as full insulation, wifi and a two-way camera to communicate with parents and even USB charging outlets.

Raffle tickets are sold and proceeds benefit Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation. The foundation has a vision for every child and adolescent to have a strong network of caregivers engaged in supporting their positive development.

A winner will be selected in September.

For more information about Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation or to purchase raffle tickets for the Ultimate Playhouse, visit changingchildrensworlds.org. For more information on John Hall Custom Builders or to see more of their custom built homes and playhouses, visit johnhallhomes.com/giving-back.

The builder also has donated homes to wounded veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars as part of Operation Finally Home.

Hall says the projects are a good fit for their family’s gifts.

“When your calling is to provide shelter for people, no matter what part of it you are part of, it is in your DNA,” he says.

John DeWald, owner of Serosun Farms in Hampshire, says that they too gravitate toward giving back to those whose values are similar. The builder often donates a farm to table dinner for silent auctions for area charities and they have groups such as the Elgin Boys & Girls Club come to the farm to learn about gardening and conservation. DeWald partners with The Conservation Foundation on the No Child Left Inside movement.

“The underlying mission of Serosun Farms is education of concepts we are promoting,” he says.

DeWald recalls a group of children who visited the farm and enjoyed a roasted beet salad and pasta with beans.

“These were things they never had. It opened their eyes to a bigger, broader world,” he says.

Hall says he thinks many in the building industry give in different ways and believes everyone should give back to their community in some way.

“You do not have to have a lot of money, hell, you do not need any money at all. Just giving your time means the world to those charities, people, children and causes,” he says.

Steve Spinell, president of Kinzie Real Estate Group, shares a similar outlook.

“My beliefs, values, and faith have always pointed me in the direction of helping others. I am very grateful for the success I’ve enjoyed and I want to be able to share that with others who are less fortunate. Whether it’s my immediate family, employees or business associates, I also encourage others to spend a portion of their time helping those in need,” he says.

Salvation Army, Rebuilding Together, Feed My Starving Children, Catholic Charities, and PADS are a few of Spinell’s favorite places to give. But, sometimes it is a matter of what stirs people’s hearts. Last year Kinzie Real Estate Group donated time to oversee the renovation of a home for Tierney Darden. The 24-year-old Mundelein woman was paralyzed when a shelter collapsed on her at O’Hare Airport.

“We were so moved by her strength and determination to recover as much as possible that we wanted to find a way to help,” Spinell says.